My field trip showed me how vague rock ID apps can be

Joel Hall · 2026-03-02T00:15:37.156282+00:00

I was out last weekend trying to name some quartz samples. The app I used only asked for color and shine. It gave me five possible matches that all looked different. This did not help with the small details that really matter. Now I get why paper guide books are still around. They have step by step checks and good photos. I think I will stick to books for now.

wade_wells7mo ago

Wait, the app only asked for color and shine? That's crazy for rock ID. Those two things alone can't tell quartz from a lot of other stuff. You need to check hardness or how it breaks, you know? I tried a few apps last year and got the same junk results. It just guesses based on a photo sometimes. Books force you to actually look at all the details, which is how you learn. Going back to books is the only smart move after that mess.

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the_lee7mo ago

Totally, those apps skip the whole point of learning the actual rock. It's like trying to guess a dog's breed by just its fur color, you miss all the other stuff that matters.

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kim.margaret7mo ago

Hey now, apps are faster for a rough idea.

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reed.elliot7mo ago

Those apps are basically fancy guessers with a phone attached! They miss the key tests that separate similar rocks. No surprise everyone goes back to the old book method.

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